In transporting loads of a variety of different types of materials and products on flatbed semitrailers, the normal practice is to cover the load with a tarpaulin which is pulled relatively tight and then tied down at its edges to rails or other fixtures on the edges of the trailer bed. Certain types of products, however, are of such a shape and size that covering them with a tarpaulin is quite difficult and often results in incomplete protection of the products from the weather and corrosive road dust and slush. Since many of the products of odd shapes and sizes are only occasionally transported, the use of a tarpaulin is an acceptable inconvenience; however, some products, such as coils of steel from steel mills to steel fabricators, are constantly being transported over the highways, sometimes for substantial distances, on semitrailers, and the same trucking firms and/or trailers are used in this operation. Consequently, the normal practice of throwing the tarpaulin over the coils and tying it down with ropes or cords at its edge results in a substantial loss of time to the overall operation, as well as affording unacceptable protection to the coils in adverse weather and road conditions. An attempt in the past to use a canopy-type enclosure for steel rolls and the like utilized a frame and cover structure similar to the old buggy top, wherein the cover was attached to all frame members and would interfere with handling of the load when the canopy was in its folded position. The prior canopy could not easily be unfolded over the load, was not compact and would not fit closely over the load in the unfolded position. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to provide a canopy for rolls of steel and similar loads as they are being transported on trucks and semitrailers, which can be quickly placed over the loads after the loads have been loaded either on a truck or semitrailer or on a pallet for the loads, and which encloses the load and closes around the bottom of the load when the canopy is placed over the load.
Another object of the invention is to provide a canopy for loads on a truck, semitrailer or pallet, which will unfold over the load in relatively close proximity thereto to provide a compact and streamlined configuration during transportation of the load, and which will easily fold into the load exposed position where it will not interfere with the loading and unloading of the coils of steel or other loads of similar size and/or shape.
A further object of the invention is to provide a canopy for protecting coils of steel and like products during transportation, which is so constructed and designed that it will unfold over the product in close proximity thereto from one end or edge thereof and which can readily and effectively be secured in place over the load on a truck, semitrailer or pallet.
Still another object is to provide a canopy of the aforesaid type which can be readily adapted to and mounted on various trucks, semitrailers and pallets without any substantial modification, and which is relatively simple in construction and operation and is sturdy and capable of long continuous use without servicing or repair.